Construction staging engagement for tower cranes on Swanston Street, Melbourne

Last Updated on October 26, 2023

CYP have had “10 meetings” regarding construction staging stakeholder engagement including with the City of Melbourne and the State Government at the most senior levels and may need “10 more” to create understanding and resolve the matter.

These 20 meetings of senior people take time, cost money and are a distraction. By using CGI workflows from early inputs, the value is to be able to explain the scenario quickly and clearly to stop repeated meetings.

City Square for CYP (Lend Lease, Bouygues, Capella, John Laing JV).

Outcome

Using Urban CGI construction staging support, the “next 10 meetings” were converted to 1 meeting between the construction team and the City of Melbourne (CoM).

There was increased satisfaction and brand trust built between the organisations.

The cost of distraction and opportunity costs were reduced drastically by explaining interfaces to the local council.

Needs – from client

CYP are keen to have Urban CGI provide value with the planning and approval process for the CSQ tower cranes. This is a complex element of work and believe that this can aid the process dramatically.

The construction staging team have done quite a bit of work on the planning of the tower crane installation and is keen to go through this.

It is important that the correct information is communicated so that the output is as accurate as possible for construction staging stakeholder engagement. It is also important that you obtain the relevant information showing the current arrangement and design of the grillage/tower crane as well as the existing items (trees, shed, Westin Hotel etc.).

Actual outcome of crane installation on Swanston Street

In addition to the outputs you mentioned to Jol in your email, one additional output we request from an ongoing CoM (City of Melbourne) comment that I believe Urban can provide some value is shown below;

1. The cranes will have a significant impact on the visual amenity of the street, both at eye level and vistas through the city.

a. CoM request diagrams demonstrating the crane impacts on the shrine and other vistas and planning requirements to better understand the impacts.

b. Further work is required exploring opportunities for creative treatment / visual improvement around the tower crane bases. A separate discussion is required (potentially in a workshop form) to explore the impacts and potential treatments. This should be informed by Discussions re visual amenities to be had with key stakeholders, including the Westin, who will have greater visibility of the tower crane on higher levels, as will other stakeholders on the western side of Swanston Street (e.g. City Square Hotel).

I am hopeful that once we have the crane and grillage set up then creating specific views for CoM concerns to be addressed should be relatively straightforward.

Construction staging for stakeholder engagement – general setout

CAD and Navisworks are georeferenced

Crane setout to be as per Methods drawing
Flinders Lane Loading bay setout
Shed is to be taken from the Navisworks model
The crane/grillage position in the Navisworks model may not be 100% accurate as the NW model may not be updated with the latest design (grillage position moved during the concept stage)
Collins St Protection Gantry setout / sections can be taken from drawing X0355-A.5
Telstra Tunnel and stormwater to be imported from existing CAD Data (see precisions)
Swanston Street furniture in the street are superseded in the Urban model, it is important that they are updated, particularly around the Southern crane
Shed truck exit at corner Swanston/ Fl Ln as per X0219 newly attached

For construction staging sequencing

Mobile crane setout as per TAS-CYP-CBS-SCQ-DRG-XTW-TSC-X0124(31.10.18) – to reverse back in Flinders Lane coming from Collins and left into Swanston St then right into Fl Ln before reversing

Semi-trailer in Fl Lane in front of the crane (in the driveway not on the footpath) to unload crane sections
Show Mobile crane in position lifting the southern crane’s heaviest piece (interface with shed)
Show Southern crane installing Northern crane

City Square construction staging crane installation

Construction & placement of Crane 1 in City Square
Display Crane 1 constructing Crane 2.
- Cranes to be displayed on high gantries (specs to be provided), with pedestrian access underneath.
Display placement of Crane 2
Display temporary alterations to traffic during the erection of each crane – both pedestrians and vehicles. E.g.: Flinders Lane traffic blocked
Display ongoing final traffic configuration following the crane erection – showing placement of Loading Bays in Collins St and in Flinders lane

Excludes shed dismantling and erection of station components.

Construction staging method

Iterative model development
Supportive 3D model development
3D model information
1. Update a base 3d Model of the temporary shed structure above the City Square site from detailed 2-d information which will be provided by CYP
2. Use of CYP 3D/BIM model inputs (of shed and other assets – geolocated)
Provision of specifications on components
1. Gantry placement locations and setbacks/positioning
2. Crane types – size and dimensions etc – approximate to 1m
3. Crane movements (arm radii etc) – approximate
Provision of information on
1. vehicle types (to install cranes)
2. vehicle pathways and access routes by phase (can be pen lines on maps)
Confirmation of street layout – kerb and channel etc
Visualisation of pedestrian routes and access around gantries
Budget does not allow the use of actual cranes, low detailed models to be used.